Kids experience agriculture at Farm Connection Day

Thousands of local students converged on the Yolo County Fairgrounds Friday for Farm Connection Day.

More than 2,500 kids from across the county got up close with farm animals of all shapes and sizes, saw dog obedience demonstrations, and toured a mobile dairy classroom at the annual event. It's a partnership between the Yolo County 4H and Yolo County Farm Bureau.

Students were able to view arts and science projects from sewing to engineering, agricultural displays and hands-on activities such as exploring tractors and playing on hay stacks.

Friday also saw the kickoff for the Yolo County 4H Spring Show that runs through the weekend.

Zamora 4-Her Bailey Hayes, 9, is showing her chicken "Goldie" and auctioning its eggs for the first time.

"It's very hard to train chickens," said Hayes, who has successfully taught "Goldie" to sit, walk and be tame when she holds her or gives her a bath. "I enjoy spending time with my chicken and my friends."

Occasionally, Goldie will lay eggs with double yolks, which is "good luck," explained Hayes. She also described the hens eggs as more filling than some others she's had, and what a difference it makes when she feeds Goldie foods such as basil, green onions and lettuce.

Goldie won't be sold at the auction, only her eggs. She will spend retirement with Hayes.

Bella Vierra, 11, is also a first time 4-Her, hailing from across the river in Clarksburg. She will be showing "Stanley," her show rabbit on Saturday.

"I've learned more knowledge about animals, and how to treat your animal and respect it," said Bella. "This is a fun experience. Kids should come."

Stanley is not a market rabbit and will also remain with Bella during his retirement after retiring from "show" business.

Like Bella, her brother Jace Vierra, 14, is participating in Clarksburg 4-H for the first time. He is showing a lamb Saturday, dubbed "Jack" from Duck Dynasty.

"It's a good exercise in responsibility," said Jace. "You have to feed the lamb twice a day, walk it, give it baths. It's been fun, except getting my lamb to work for me. They're wild animals. You have to break the lamb and make it tame."

Jace said he's learned how to raise an animal, about diseases, and what not to do to the lamb when it's not listening.

Asked if he would be sad to see "Jack" go after the auction, Jace seemed OK with it.

"I'm kind of ready for it to leave," he said. "It's a lot of work taking care of an animal."

And in with the new - Jace will be getting a pig next Saturday to show at the Yolo County Fair in August.

Clarksburg 4-H student Vern Heffington, 15, inspired the Vierras to participate in 4-H. He is showing a lamb and pig Saturday, and it's his fourth year with the club.

"I like coming to fairs and spending time with the animals and getting it to bond with you," said Heffington, whose brother, Vince, is one of his 4-H advisors. "You learn about sicknesses and meat, and how to fit them and show them. A lot of people don't know where their meat comes from and that's a big problem in America these days."

Heffington said 4-H has taught him how to work with groups, with other people and about animals.

"Some people are like, 'learning. I don't want to do that,'" he said. "But you learn stuff you're interested in so it's fun."

As for Heffington, he doesn't name his animals so as not to get attached prior to the auction. Instead he refers to them each year as "Jim."

"In a sense they're like a pet, but it's not a pet you keep," Heffington explained. "You need to come to an understanding about that and some people don't. This isn't for everybody."